The boy from Tennessee
by PebblesRipples
Summary: A young Mercedes and Sam meet one summer and face a life threatening situation. Really don't know why I wrote this.


**A/N: **_**I started writing this to take a break from my other story- which I promise I haven't forgotten about! It's just a short story ... not even sure where I was going with it but once I started I kept going and decided I may as well post it. **_

_**Glee and characters don't belong to me.**_

**The boy from Tennessee**

Mercedes walked along the coastline. The early morning breeze wafted into her hair, and carried the salty air into her nostrils. She noticed how fast and hard her heart was beating just being here, even as she ambled slowly barefoot across the sand. It's funny how the feelings that surround a place can return so vividly, she though, even after all these years, how they can seem just as real as they did when they were first lived and experienced.

She stopped at a particular point, and turned to look out on to the sea, watching how the waves built up, before disintegrating into a white spray as it slid up onto the shore.

She hugged herself, and closed her eyes remembering back to that day.

_**Ten Years Earlier**_

Mercedes lay on her stomach, in the sand, her feet in the air. Her head buried in a book, a rim of shade cast over her eyes by the baseball cap she was wearing.

She had tuned out the sound of people splashing in the water, or the groups of other kids playing or tossing around a beach ball. She had been looking forward to finally getting to catch up on her reading list this summer, and lying in the gentle sun with the waves lapping in the background, was the perfect place for it.

That was until a large orange beach ball bounced onto her book and startled her.

"Sorry!" she heard someone call

She sat up from where she lay and grabbed the ball, looking up.

A tall skinny young man, wearing board shorts, walked up to her.

"Are you ok?" he said from beneath his mop of blonde hair "I'm so sorry!"

Mercedes still feeling a little shocked by the orange bouncy missile that had landed on her, looked up at him blankly.

"Er…let me take that off your hands" he said cheerfully at her.

He leaned over and took the ball away, tucking it under his arm.

"We got a bit carried a way there…sorry if we disturbed you"

"Um…sure…it's ok" she frowned "Don't worry about it"

She shrugged and tried to rearrange herself back to where she was.

"I'm Sam" he extended his arm out for her to shake it before she could settle into a comfortable position.

Mercedes looked at his hand and tentatively put her own out to shake it, "I'm…er…Mercedes"

Sam beamed, "Mercedes….That's a nice name"

Mercedes dipped her head self consciously at his unflinching attention on her, "Thanks…"

"So do people call you Mercy or 'Cedes for short?"

"Neither…both…depends…" she shrugged again.

"What do you prefer?" he cocked his head to the side.

Mercedes was wondering why was he still here and hadn't left now that he had what he came for, "Er…I prefer 'Cedes…I guess"

"Cool- well pleased to meet you 'Cedes" he smiled at her again.

"Ok…pleased to meet you too…" Mercedes nodded awkwardly smiling back, she picked up her book "Erm, anyway I'm just gonna…get back to my book now"

She sighed, hoping he'd take the hint.

"Is it any good?"

"What?" Mercedes narrowed her eyes at Sam.

"Whatever it is you're reading?" he asked eagerly, clearly not taking the hint.

"Yeah…It's ok" she nodded, _would be even better if you could just let me carry on reading it_ she thought to herself.

Sam tilted his head and narrowed his eyes a little at her, "You sure?"

"Er yeah I'm sure" Mercedes arched an eye brow at him perplexed by his incessant questions and shook her head trying to compose herself, "Er…erm don't you need to get back to your…ball game?"

Mercedes looked over to the two younger looking kids who he'd been playing with. They were now splashing around in the water seemingly uninterested in waiting for Sam to get back to them with the ball.

Sam looked over to them "Well…I was just wondering if you wanted to join us?"

"Join you?" Mercedes looked up at Sam from where he sat, like he was completely out of his mind.

"Heheeh" Sam found himself somewhere between amused and uncomfortable at the dubious expression she threw his way "Why not?"

"Erm I don't even know you?"

"Well…I told you I'm Sam…and that's my brother and sister Stevie and Stacey playing over there…so now you know us… what do ya say?"

"ER.." Mercedes looked down at her book.

"Look I'm sure whatever you're reading is…interesting…but it's a great day…and we're by the ocean… so why not just take five minutes and enjoy the sunshine for a bit"

"I'm perfectly happy taking in the sunshine right here"

"Hmm…" Sam looked down on the ground for minute then looked back at Mercedes "You know I've seen you come here everyday this week with your family - and every time they go and take a swim or go exploring… you just come here and sit and read... that's it…"

"So?" Mercedes eye brows raised, wondering who the hell was he to be judging her and watching what she was doing anyway?

Sam looked thoughtfully at her, "Look don't get me wrong- its your choice…what you do…I mean who am I anyway? …But you see… I've been making this bet with myself for the last couple of days that you'd do something different…but you never do…and I mean it's kind of cool but I thought maybe I should come up here and give you a chance to do something different…"

Mercedes looked at him and thought about what he was saying.

"I guess I lost my own bet" he concluded

"Well firstly that's just weird betting with yourself …" Mercedes shook her head and narrowed her eyes, giving him a side ways glance that spoke volumes about how unimpressed she was right now, before continuing, "and secondly you're right who are you anyway? And thirdly I might just actually do different things you just haven't seen me doing them…"

Sam folded his arms and looked at her clearly not believing her.

"I do?!"

"Prove it then"

"Prove it? I don't have to prove anything to you" she huffed and reopened her book.

"Prove it to yourself then"

Mercedes looked up Sam and rolled her eyes, shutting her book with both hands and slapping down in front of her.

"Fine- but only so you that you can then leave me alone" she stood up, folding her hands as she looked up at Sam who smiled triumphantly.

"Let's go"

Sam and Mercedes walked down the beach towards his siblings. Stacey was now building a sand castle and Stevie was splashing in the water.

"Hey guys- this is Mercedes"

"Hi Mercedes" the little girl with pigtails stood up and looked at Mercedes and waved. "I'm Stacey"

"Hi Stacey" Mercedes waved back. "Nice sand castle!"

"Thanks!"

"Stevie! Aren't you going to say Hi to Mercedes?" Sam asked Stevie who had skipped towards them to see what was going on, but remained hovering in the background, assessing the situation from a safe distance.

"You brought another girl!" Stevie moaned his eyebrows on a mission to furrow the deepest crevice possible between them.

"Stevie!"

"It's ok" Mercedes shook her head seemingly unaffected, "I am agirl…and it would seem _another _girl at that"

She gave him a pointed look and Sam scratched the base of his head sheepishly.

"He means another girl other than Stacey"

Mercedes raised her eyebrows noticing the subtle crack in Sam's otherwise confident demeanour.

Sam shook his head and turned to Stevie.

"Stevie where are your manners?" Sam looked directly his little brother, with a tone that said 'you know better'.

Stevie scowled at his brother, then looked at Mercedes and extended his hand.

"Hi I'm Stevie nice to meet you Mercedes"

Mercedes smiled and shook the little boys hand "Hi Stevie, nice to meet you too"

"So shall we start again?" Sam said to his siblings.

"No! I don't want to play ball anymore I want to swim now" Stevie said and ran back splashing into the water.

"What about you Stace?"

"No thanks…Sammy I got to finish my sand castle now"

Mercedes looked at Sam and found herself smirking, "Looks like they don't want to play with you either, Sammy."

"You mean you don't want to play with me?" Sam raised his eye brows in feigned look of horror.

She shook her head, trying to stop herself from being amused by him and rolled her eyes instead.

"You want to take a swim too?" Sam asked

"Not really"

"Had enough of doing new things already?"

"_No-_ I just don't particularly want to go swimming" she shrugged "I'm not a great swimmer"

"Come on…it'll be fun and I'll be right by your side" Sam took her hand and Mercedes looked down his curled around hers. She could feel a dizzying flutter in her stomach and she curled her toes in the sand "If you go far enough by those rocks you can catch sight of some dolphins"

"I don't know" She looked up slowly at Sam, biting her lips hesitantly.

"It'll be fine" Sam smiled at her, and began to walk to the water, leading her by the hand.

Absentmindedly, she started following him, letting him show her the way, momentarily floating away to the sweet feeling of her hands clasped in his.

"So are you spending the whole summer here?" Sam asked as he stepped into the water, with her hand still in his.

"Er just a couple of weeks, then we go back to Ohio"

"Right" he nodded "We're here for another week- then back to Nashville"

"Sam" Mercedes realised that the sea water was rising up her calf, nearing her knees with each step.

Sam just squeezed her hand and continued walking, "How old are you?"

"Thirteen" she said, feeling increasingly nervous.

"Me too well fourteen soon"

Mercedes nodded, as they waded further in, the water was now reaching her waist, and climbing ever higher, "Sam…can we stop now"

"Just a little further" he assured, looking down at her, squeezing her hand again.

Mercedes breathed in, feeling the cold heaviness of the water press on her midriff, she stepped nearer to Sam grabbing his upper arm with her other hand and pressing herself against him for dear life. Sam felt his hair follicles seize at her touch and tried focus on keeping Mercedes distracted.

"So why is it you like to read so much?" he spoke over the sound of his heart racing.

"I- I guess I like how I can disappear into another world, I can meet interesting people and no one judges me or expects anything of me…I can just _be_…"

"Yeah..." Sam smiled, catching his breath, "I like that when I read comics…I have dyslexia so it can be hard to read lots of lines on a page….but with comics its easier…I like how seemingly ordinary people can be heroic and be courageous…"

"Sam?" Mercedes felt the water rise higher up her chest, she let go of his hand and stopped. "I want to stop now"

Sam saw the look of discomfort rise in her eyes "Ok…We'll stop"

She looked around and noticed how few people seemed to be where they were, "I think I'm going to turn back"

"Wait" he grabbed her hand and Mercedes looked down at it as he spoke, "Just stay for a minute- we might be able to catch a glimpse of them from here"

"I-I nearly drowned once when I was kid" she said, looking up at him earnestly "I start to get… anxious… as the water gets deeper…"

"Oh" Sam paused and held both her hands, looking down at her "Sorry…I didn't mean to…I… "

"I can't believe I came this far" she said shaking her head and looking around her, panic starting to rise "I'm such a fool … you could be some serial drowner person for all I know..."

She took in a deep breath and looked all around her vigilant, as the gentle waves carried the water upwards and downwards.

"You're not a fool…I am…I" he bit his lip and struggled to look directly at her "I…Just wanted to hang out with the smart pretty looking girl that always sits on her own by the beach… the world moves around her but she's there just sitting in the sun in her own world… with her book..."

Mercedes paused at his words, she looked right back into his eyes.

"I want to go back now" she swallowed and turned away, wading slowly back to the shore.

Sam stood for a moment watching as she slowly, made her way back through the water, and sighed.

"Mercedes!" he called and started to run towards her, causing splashes in the water as he moved through it hurriedly "Wait up!"

In his haste he slipped and splashed down into the water. Mercedes turned around at the sound.

"Sam?...Sam!" she shouted as she realised he'd disappeared "Oh no…"

She began to breath in and out rapidly looking for where he'd gone.

"Oh no…Sam?…Sam?" she looked all about her, the water sloshing about, as she turned back and forth to see if she could see where he was.

"I'm not good at this…oh…come on Mercedes…you can do this" she said to herself.

She hesitated then took in a deep breath and bent her knees, submerging herself into the water, her eyes stung as she tried to keep them open to search for Sam, but it was too hard to make anything out.

She lifted her head up from the water and gasped for breath. At that point, Sam lifted himself out of the water and took in a gasp of air.

"Sam!" Mercedes called out relieved, throwing her arms around him before letting go and abruptly flicking water at him angrily "That's for scaring me!... What happened?"

Sam was breathing in and out "I fell trying to run after you- and I think I cut my leg or something-"

He rubbed his leg and looked down at his hand as he brought it out of the water.

Mercedes eyes widened at the blood on his hand, "Oh...my gosh…are you ok?"

"Yeah…"

"We'd better head back" Mercedes sighed "Here…Lean on me"

Sam placed his arm around Mercedes shoulder, and Mercedes wove her arm around his waist.

"Lets go" she looked up at Sam.

"Wait" Sam froze looking behind.

"What?" she froze.

"Don't move" Sam let go of Mercedes. He turned himself away and seemed to position himself behind her suddenly.

"What are doing?" she turned to look at him.

Then she screamed "SAAAM!... OH MY GOD! SOMEBODY HELP HELP!"

She understood why Sam had moved himself now.

He must have seen its shadow circling towards them. He would have a made a quick, daring decision to protect her, using his own body as a shield. The shark was swift, and swam away as suddenly as it came, probably having realised that it did not care much for human flesh.

It had definitely taken a bite out his upper body. She couldn't see how bad it was, there was so much blood in the water. She tried to grab onto Sam, holding him, as he lay lifeless.

"SAM! SAM! Just hang on ok…just hang on!" She held on to him, trying to pull him back to the shore, fighting the tears collecting in her eyes, _crazy heroic fool_ he was.

"HELP!" she shouted, as she waded clumsily through the water holding on to him, her limbs grew tired, but she daren't let go of him and kept pushing through the water.

"HELP! SOMEBODY" she called again moving towards the shore.

People on the shore were now facing her direction, some heading towards them. A lifeguard was already swimming straight to them coming to their aid.

"Please help him…please"

_**Present day**_

She wiped her eyes, letting out a long voluminous sigh into the breeze.

She felt a pair of warm, long his arms, slink around her from behind and she smiled at his touch. He drew her closer to him, squeezing her a little. She leaned into him and pressed her hands over his, as they curved around her.

"Morning gorgeous" he whispered, dipping his head into the curve of her neck and kissed her just above her collar bone. A sensation that made Mercedes lean into him and kiss his temple.

"Morning"

They stood together in silence for a moment, looking out onto the horizon, resting against each other. He swayed her slightly as they stood together, and breathed in the scent of her perfume.

"When I stand here, I can't help but see that skinny boy from Tennessee who tried to be hero that day"

"Still haunts you?" he let his eye lids rest shut for a moment.

"Yeah…I guess.." She sighed and turned her head slightly to look at him "Sorry is this making you uncomfortable?"

She released herself from his grip and turned herself to face him.

"No… not at all" he shook his head and focused on her deep brown eyes, placing his arms around her waist and bringing her nearer to him.

"How is it that you were always so much braver and courageous than me huh?" her forehead wrinkled returning his gaze.

"I think that _you_ don't give yourself enough credit" he kissed her forehead, as if his lips could smooth away the unease that had just embedded in them, "Weren't you the one who got that skinny kid back to shore?"

"The lifeguard helped me in the end" she raised her shoulders up and down dismissively, her usual habit of shrugging away things she was ambivalent about.

"You could have got away and left the kid there to bleed out…he was an idiot any way for taking you out so far…you were- are- much more courageous"

Mercedes stroked his cheek with her thumb and smiled into his eyes.

She looked down at his shirt, smoothing it at first with one hand. Three buttons in the middle were done up and the loose corners flapped in the wind. Then, starting with the lowest button, she carefully unfastened it, working her way up to the second, then the third. She widened the gap of his now opened shirt and slid it off his shoulders, exposing his sculpted chest underneath.

"Oh is that how it is?" he smirked.

She shook her head and squinting playfully at him, before she looked back down. She paused for a moment, thinking to herself. He watched her patiently, studying the way her supple lips frowned and her forehead creased, as she blinked hard and slowly opened her eyes again.

There was a wistful smile in her eyes, as she lovingly traced the semi-circular scar, etched like a jagged crater on the side of his torso. She slidher fingers across each mound, each crevice, like she was seeing them again for the first time.

She lifted up her head and looked back up into his eyes, her hand spread across the marks "See…this is courage"

Then she shook her head, and broke her gaze from him, remembering again, "I- I was terrified"

"Exactly…" Sam lifted her chin up to look at him, "_That's_ what makes it courage…"

She looked into his eyes and reached up and kissed him hard, pulling him towards her, letting him know just how strongly she loved him, and he kissed her back, just as deeply and firm, delighting in the sweetness of her lips between his. She separated from him, leaving him in a happy daze, amazed that somehow, he, the skinny boy from Tennessee managed to get the smart pretty girl who loved to sit alone and read, whilst the world passed her by.

"You ready?" she asked him, she pushed back the ochre strands of hair from his eyes and scanned his face intently.

"With you by my side? Always" he smiled and entwined her hand and in his, pressing his lips to it, before taking her by the hand and walking down the shore, towards the water.


End file.
